Pothead



Aug. 19, 1947.

E. P. SMITH 2,426,157

POTHEAD Filed April 22, 1944 3m entor EDWARD? 3M1TH Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POTHEAD Application April 22, 1944, Serial No. 532,347

Claims. 1

My invention relates to cable outlets and heads and has particular application to outlets for parkway cables brought underground from a distant point to a point adjacent a rail and requiring connection to the rail.

The main object of my invention is to provide a device to receive'and connect to the end of the parkway cable to be connected to the rail and to receive and connect to the free end of one or more track wires or conductors for electrically connecting the parkway cable to the rail.

Another important object of my invention is to provide means within the outlet or head and electrically connected thereto, to receive and grip either the insulated cable or the bare conductor element of the cable. Where the bare conductor is gripped and held rigid, it has been found that due to vibration the conductor element will crystalline and break at the point where gripped. By gripping the insulated cable in place of the conductor and holding it steady, the bare conductor may then be led to and connected to the head and avoid the crystallization of the conductor.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the specific description and drawings accompanying this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention in partial section showing the free end of a track wine and the bare conductor of a parkway cable electrically connected thereto. The insulated portion of the cable being gripped adjacent the bared portion.

Fig. 2 is a topview of Fig. 1 showing the free ends of two track wires and the bare conductor of a parkway cable connected thereto.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of my improved outlet head in partial section and taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. In [this case the bare cable conductor is held in clamped relation to the head.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the cable clamp or connector shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in partial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and shOWs the clamping members of the connector shown in Fig. 4.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I provide an upright hollow standard I with a bas plate 2 secured thereto as by welding and which steadies and anchors the standard I in place in the ground. The standard I may be of indefinite length, from several inches to several feet, to meet requirements.

Mounted on the upper end of the standard I is an outlet head 3 provided with a cover portion 4 extending over the opening in the standard I and having a downwardly projecting collar 5 to receive the upper end of the standard I.

The collar 5 forms an integral part of the cover portion 4 for a considerable circumference of the cover portion A leaving an unattached portion which forms the slot 6.

The collar 5 is split vertically with draw lugs I which are provided with through openings in which is positioned the bolt and nut fastener 8 by means of which the collar 5 is clamped in place on the standard.

Between the standard I and the head portions 4 and 5 is positioned an insulating cup 9 which efifectively insulates the head 3 from the standard I.

The cover portion 4 is provided with a through opening III and removably positioned in this opening is a connector II which is electrically connected to the cover portion 4.

The connector II comprises two parts, namely a stud portion I-Z which projects above the upper or outer face of the cover portion 4 and a clamping portion I 3 which projects downwardly from the lower or inner face of the cover portion 4.

Intermediate the portions I2 and I3 is a collar I4 of irregular shape which is seated in a pocket formed by the rim I5 and prevents the connector II from. rotating. A portion of the stud I2 is threaded to receive the threaded nut I6.

The upper or outer face of the cover portion 4 is provided with one or more grooves I'I, preferably two, which extend across the said face and are located, one on each side of the stud II to receive the spaced and free ends of the track .wires I8.

in order to hold the track wires I8 in position in the transverse grooves I1, I provide a clamping member I9 which is preferably also provided with grooves 2!! which correspond with and cooperate with the grooves I! to receive and grip the track wires I8. The clamping member I9 is held in clamping position by the nut I6 which also holds the connector I I in place.

The clamping member I9 is provided with a through opening through which passes the stud I2. The clamping member is loosely mounted on the single stud I2 and therefore is rotatably and slidably related to the stud when the nut I6 is free. While the clamping member I9 is preferably grooved it may be used ungrooved.

The clamping member I9 being free to rotate upon the stud I2 until clamped in position I provide the upstanding but shallow side walls 2|,

forming an integral part of the cover portion 4 and extending across the upper face of the cover portion and sufficiently close to the ends of the clamping member I9 to limit the rotation thereof on the stud l2, in fact the walls 2| together with the stud I2 maintain the clamping member in position with the grooves in cooperating relation.

The upstanding walls. 2! also add protection to the projecting ends of the track wires ill.

The side walls 2! may have their ends connected by an upstanding wall 2 l if desired thereby forming with the clamping member IS a U- shaped receptacle in which the spaced ends of the track wires terminate and in which receptacle may be placed solder or a sealing compound, such as asphalt or bitumen. By galvanizing or tinning the surface of the head 3, the solder will unite quite readily with the head and track wire thereby forming a highly efiicient connection.

The clamping portion [3 comprises the pro-- jecting member 22 from the collar portion M. Loosely mounted on the member 22 is a clamp 23 which forms with the member 22 a vertical or longitudinal opening 2:1 to receive the insulated cable 25 or the conductor element 28 thereof.

The clamp 23 is held in clamping relation to the cable or its conductor by the screw 2?. The clamp is held in position on the member 22 by means of the lugs 28 below and the shoulders 29 above.

Many outlets or heads are provided with means to grip only the cable conductor as shown in Fig. 3 in which case, vibration due to passing trains will set up a crystallized condition in the con-- ductor 26 adjacent the clamp 23 resulting in a broken conductor and an open circuit.

While I have shown such a connection in Fig. 3, my clamp mechanism !3 will permit of such installation and while it is not necessary to corn tinue the conductor 26 through the cover portion 4, this may be done in case of Fig. 4, as shown in Fig. 1 in which case there is an opening 28 through which the conductor passes and is clamped under the nut H5.

This opening 28 is to one side of the stud I2 and between the grooves l'l, if the receptacle upon the upper face of the cover portion 4 is filled with solder, the parkway conductor 26 will be eiiiciently electricall connected to the track Wires I8.

I prefer, however, to hold the cable 25 by its insulation as shown in Fig. l and to continue the conductor 26 through the opening 28 and corn nect the conductor to the stud l2.

This last method of installation holds the cable firm and rigid adjacent the head 3 and the conductor 25 is also held Firm. and rigid relative to the cable and therefore crystallization, breakage and open circuits are avoided.

In order to steady the cable Within'the standard where long standards are used, an insulating disc of fibre 30 with a central hole for the cable may be inserted in place shown. If desired an insulating compound may be poured into the standard where it will rest and solidify upon the disc 30.

It will be understood that changes and modi fications may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention disclosed.

What I claim is:

1. A parkway cable outlet conn... g hollow standard, an outlet head mounted n one end of the standard in insulated relation thereto, the head provided with a cover portion closing the end of the standard and having a substantially fiat outer surface and a depending sleeve, means to secure the sleeve to the standard, a separately formed and detachable connector extending through an opening in the cover portion in direct contact therewith and projecting from each face of the cover portion, the portion projecting from the inner face of the cover portion having adjustable means with an opening to receive and clamp either the insulation or the conductor element of a parkway cable, the other portion of the connector provided with a thread, a clamping member having a central opening through which the said threaded portion of the detachabl connector projects, the clamping member arranged to hold a pair of track wires in position against the outer surface of the said cover portion, a pair of upstanding fixed and parallel flanges extending along and projecting from the outer surface of the cover portion and in close juxtaposition to the ends of the clamping memoer to cooperate therewith and limit the rotation of the clamping member, means on the threaded portion of the connector to hold the clamping member and track wires in position and to receive and hold the cable conductor, and a fixed flange projecting from the cover portion and extending between the aforesaid flanges and arranged to limit the projection of the free ends of the track wires relative to the clamping member.

2. A parkway cable outlet head for connecting a parkway cable to track wires comprising, a closing portion adapted to be attached to an end of a standard and having a substantially fiat r surface, a connector electrically connected to the closing portion and extending through the closing portion and projecting from both faces thereof, the connector being removable and having a shoulder intermediate its ends bearing on the closing portion and cooperating with means on the closing portion to prevent rotation of the connector relative to the said portion, one of the projecting portions of the connector provided with a thread and means on the other projecting portion to receive and hold the parkway cable, a clamping member positioned loosely upon the connector and adjacent the said flat surface thereof to clamp track wires therebetween, means on the threaded portion of the connector to draw the said shoulder against the closing portion and the clamping member into engagement with the track wires, an opening through the closing portion through which the cable conductor may pass, U shaped means projecting from the said surface of the closing portion and integral therewith and forming a receptacle closed on one side by the clamping member and the clamping member held at its ends against rotation by the said U shaped means.

3. In a parkway cable outlet head adapted to be mounted on an end of a hollow standard in insulated relation thereto and having a cover portion to close the end of the standard and also having a clamping member positioned on the outer face of the cover portion to clamp track wires against the outer face of the cover portion and means associated with the clamping memher and cover portion to secure the clamping member in clamping relation with the cable conductor and with the track wires, the combination with the cover portion of an upstanding flange forming an integral part of the cover portion and comprising three sides of a receptacle, the fourth side being formed by the clamping member positioned between two sides of the receptacle and spaced from the third side of the receptacle with the end faces of the clamping member in substantial engagement with the said two sides and grooves extending beyond the clamping memher and in that part of the cover portion forming the bottom of the receptacle.

4. A parkway cable outlet head comprising a metallic cover portion adapted to be attached to a standard to close the end thereof and havin an opening through the cover portion, a separately formed connector extending through the opening and removable relative to the cover portion, the connector projecting from opposite faces of the cover portion and in electrical contact with the cover portion, one connecting portion provided with a thread and the other portion provided with means to clamp a parkway cable conductor to the connector, a clamping member loosely positioned on the threaded projection to engage and clamp a track conductor to and in contact with the cover portion, means cooperating with the thread to engage the clamping member to effect said clamping of the track conductor and means on the connector intermediate its ends to engage means on the cover portion to prevent rotation of the connector relative to the cover portion and to limit its longitudinal movement when clamping the track conductor.

5. A parkway cable outlet head comprising, a body of metal, means whereby it may be mounted on a support, an open top receptacle formed EDWARD P. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,665,629 Lavarack et al. Apr. 10, 1928 1,978,867 Pipes Oct. 30,1934 2,109,616 Gort Mar. 1,1938 2,113,787 Gort Apr. '12, 1938 2,118,148 Bone May 24, 1938 2,146,462 Bone Feb. 7, 1939 2,103,773 Flath Dec. 28,1937 2,262,226 Flath Nov. 11, 1941 2,209,912 Deems July 30, 1940 2,159,757 Blakeslee May 23, 1939 

